AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) was defeated by George Latimer in the Democratic primary for New York’s 16th District on Tuesday.
Latimer – who received endorsements from AIPAC, Pro-Israel America, Democratic Majority For Israel, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – ran on a platform of opposition to Bowman’s vocal support for Gaza and spent millions of dollars on ads in the effort to unseat his opponent.
Bowman has served as the representative of New York’s 16th District since 2021, when he defeated veteran congressman and incumbent Eliot Engel in the Democratic Primary. Engel endorsed Latimer in the 2024 race against Bowman.
The congressman’s term was rocked by several controversies, including the September 2023 fire alarm incident, during which he was caught on camera pulling a fire alarm in the House amid a continuing resolution to fund the government.
Bowman was accused of attempting to delay the resolution and he went on to plead guilty to a misdemeanor for the crime. Bowman was officially censured by the House in December over the incident.
Latimer has served as the county executive of New York’s Westchester County since 2018, and previously served in both the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.
During the bitter primary, Bowman repeatedly tore into his opponent for being backed by AIPAC and other foreign lobbying organizations.
“AIPAC, unfortunately, has shown itself to be a racist organization, an organization that’s supporting a genocide in Gaza right now,” he told CNN in May. “And my opponent has partnered with them even though the majority of their donors are MAGA racist Republicans trying to take our voting rights, trying to take reproductive rights, gutting affirmative action, and supporting fascism.”
Latimer received backlash from progessives this month after he was accused of using a “racist” and anti-Arab dogwhistle in the race against his opponent.
